The NFL world was treated to a fascinating father-son debate recently when Chris Long and his Hall of Fame father, Howie Long, tackled a burning question on Chris’s “Green Light” podcast: Could anyone ever replicate Tom Brady’s unprecedented tenure with the Patriots?
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Chris kicked things off by talking about Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs gunning for a third straight Super Bowl win. He asked his Hall of Fame father if he would put Patrick Mahomes in the echelon of Tom Brady. And Howie, known for his immense football knowledge, wasn’t ready to agree to his son’s point there.
“If you go back and look at the number of offensive linemen, wide receivers, and running backs that Tom Brady played with over the course of that run, it’s pretty staggering,” Howie added. “That will never be duplicated again.”
Chris Long didn’t back down though. He argued that if anyone could match Brady, it’d be Mahomes and the Chiefs. He was impressed by how they’d won two Super Bowls in a row, even with all the team changes.
Moving on, Howie did see Chris’s point but stuck to his guns. For him, Brady’s real superpower was his focus over two decades. He wondered if Mahomes could keep that up in today’s world of non-stop distractions.
Chris Long Firmly Backs Patrick Mahomes’ Legacy
As the debate wound down, the father-son duo found a common ground. They agreed that while matching Brady’s legacy would be a huge task, much depends on the longevity of the partnership between Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes.
Chris further added his final thought that if the Chiefs manage to secure another Super Bowl this upcoming season, they’ll undoubtedly etch their names among the NFL’s all-time greats.
“I think if they win five and they three-peat, we’re putting a lot of carts before the horses here, but let’s say they three-peat. That to me, puts them in, not to me, period puts them in rarer. There is no other football team that has been able to do it.” Chris Long added.
Long’s vision is bold that if the Chiefs manage to etch their names in the history books during this era of free agency and constant player movement, the conversation shifts. It would no longer be just about ring count, but about Mahomes’ individual brilliance compared to Brady’s legendary career.
Chris Long argues how securing five championships in a decade would undeniably place Mahomes in the same breath as Brady. Of course, Long isn’t naive. He acknowledges that such a feat would require more than just skill – a hefty dose of good fortune would need to smile upon Kansas City.
However, in his eyes, if any team has a shot at approaching the historic heights reached by Brady and the Patriots, it’s Mahomes and the Chiefs.
